Friday, March 30, 2007

Yeah, our old house is empty and our new house is full of boxes and plastic tubs. Pictures coming soon. Promise!

I had a doctors appointment on Monday. All is well. BP was a little high but has since come back down to a decent range. I think stress may have had something to do with it. I gained 3 pounds and Elise's heartbeat was 140bpm. I go back in three weeks. I just can't believe I made it to 29 weeks and 30 weeks is just over the horizon.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Once upon a time, I knew what a good night of sleep was, just not recently. I wake up somewhere in the neck of 2 and 4 and simply cannot sleep. It is currently 4:01am and I am WIDE awake while the monster and the husband snore in the bedroom togther. I also have a wicked case of heartburn and am just too lazy to go back into the bedroom for a delicious Tums.

On other news, we may or may not start moving tomorrow. We had a SECOND final inspection yesterday and failed again. We (I should insert JEFF) didn't quite fix the downspouts right, our exit step off of the back porch measurements weren't quite right, but the big bugger, our access panel to the pump in the jacuzzi tub was blocked by a vanity. So, Jeff and my dad were over there working their tooshes off until 10pm and putting in a pedestal sink until we can figure out how to cut a hole in the outside of the house for access to the pump in case it catches on fire. Cause wouldn't you all pull a burning pump out of your house? Until then, the master bath floor looks like a disaster since it was tiled after the vanity was put it.

Anyways, the inspector was nice enough to offer to come back tomorrow (today?) and reinspect. So hopefully everything was done correctly and we won't have to cancel our UHaul on Saturday.

I also have to go to the marina and pay for our moorage and stop by the boat store and pick up life jackets, flares, and a whistle tomorrow. One of these days (hahahha, the house is very unfinished) life will settle down, right? Ok, maybe in like 19 years when the girls are both out of the house?

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Today is the day (in pregnancy) that Darsie was born due to preeclampsia and there is NO (zero, zilch, nada) sign of the nasty disease at this point in my pregnancy. I know it could rear its ugly face tomorrow or two weeks down the line, but it feels like a huge accomplishment to even GET to this point.

Darsie is doing really well, too. We have been packing in preparation for our move this weekend (keep your fingers crossed and your hair braided that the darn inspector oks the house) and she has been helping A LOT! In true toddler fashion, she packed her Benik hand brace. I've noticed her thumb tightening up a lot, so at least I know that when she wears it, it works!

Anyways, I leave your these photos of a darling two-year old who can count to three and likes to walk around with things in front of her eyes. Oh yes, she also likes to wear shoes when just wearing a top and a diaper.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

I feel better after a good night's sleep (except the aching knees, whatever is up with that?) and reading the comments this morning.

Don't worry. Darsie is still the main reason behind the blog. I started this blog to provide a resource for other parents dealing with similar issues or worries about their kids and I intend to continue doing so.

Now I'm off to find out the building code for stair rails. Oh the joy of building a house and flunking your occupancy inspection. Maybe next week.

Friday, March 16, 2007

I've been thinking about this for a long time. I use this blog to write about Darsie, her prematurity, and her resulting cerebral palsy. But that isn't what I want to be defined by, my family defined by, Darsie to be defined by, and our lives to be defined by. I understand that her cerebral palsy will have a lasting impact on our lives and that I will always think of her as my 1lb. 12ozer...but we've done a lot of growing (and grieving) over the past 2.5 years and we are more than that.

So, I'm going to expand my blog. Yes, there will always be a special place on this blog for other preemie parents and for other special kids and their families, but I want to feel free to talk about my crappy day, our pending baby, the great meal that I cooked and to not feel guilty or conflicted.

I hope this doesn't offend my two regular readers, but if it does, I'm sorry. I just can't do it anymore. I need the freedom to write whatever I want, to vent about whatever I want to vent about, and to rejoice in my daily life and the great future.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

These were actually taken awhile back but I was looking through my photos and had to share. There is nothing sweeter than sleeping baby/toddler/child unless you can count those wide open-mouthed kisses that come at the strangest times (often with a mouthful of food).

Darsie is doing well and getting bigger and bigger everyday. I have no idea what she weighs, but it must be around 25 to 27 pounds. When she stands on our scale it is almost 25 but from my visits to the doctors office, I know that our scale is off (or theirs is...which I will pretend is the truth). She is learning new words constantly but still having problems using them spontaneously. When she is reading a book, she can point to any objects, even red balloons. She loves to shower with us and if she hears the shower turn on, she is racing through the kitchen tugging at her shirt.

She still doesn't have great use of her right hand, but it is progressing. She is doing great at drinking out of an open cup with both hands. She is doing well with walking up and down stairs with help, even leading with her right leg. She loves sports of any kind. She loves to carry pillows through the house and lay down in the oddest spots, like the laundry room. If she finds dirty clothes or takes her pants off, they must go to the laundry room immediately.

I just love her so much and she is just a beautiful and loving little girl. I worry that her little sister won't be half as cute or have half of the charisma that Darsie has. I hope this is a common fear for mom's expecting a second child.

She is begging to "eat, eat, eat, eat" and tugging on my arm. Must go feed the monster.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Things are still going really well pregnancy-wise. I had a 26-week appointment on Monday and got to take the lovely glucola drink. I don't understand why none of my OB's have ever had any other flavor than orange? I can get it down if it is icy cold (with Darsie it was lukewarm, lovely) but the after taste is just NASTY!

Anyways, heart beat was about 148 and my blood pressure was about 111/75 or so. My bp always reads a little higher in the mornings and this was also after the blood draw and running up and down a flight of stairs, so it is a little higher than my resting bp. Still pretty darn good though, in my opinion!

Other updates...we should be moving in a couple of weeks or so. During the past year (since June) we have been building a new compound for the family. Instead of the measly 1400 square feet we are in now, we will soon be in a grand 2500 square feet.

We also finally broke down and bought a boat. We have been fantasizing about this since we moved to the Pacific northwest. It is a 2858 Bayliner. Great for a small family.

Darsie is doing well, too. She is currently testing every limit placed on her and has plunged headfirst into the terrible twos. I will admit that I'm sure my patience isn't anywhere near it was prepregnancy, though.

About Me

I live near Seattle, WA with my husband and our 3 kids. I stay at home with my kids and spend my time doing freelance graphic design, sewing, and cooking. I often kid that I'm a modern day Laura Ingalls Wilder.

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